


Drunk Dueling

by Winxhelina



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Love, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Humor, Mokuba looks after Kaiba, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:07:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24615025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Winxhelina/pseuds/Winxhelina
Summary: Seto Kaiba wasn't usually the one to comply with Japanese social expectations and norms. In fact, he pretty much ignored lots of them most of the time. However, every now and again even he resorted to tradition, because sometimes the traditional approach worked and so he found himself drowning drinks with a bunch of men in black suits, some of whom were from Kaiba Corporation, but a great number were from a well-established company they were hoping to have a partnership with.In which Kaiba gets very drunk, goes to Yugi's house in the middle of the night and asks him to duel him. Hilarity ensures. But also some brotherly fluff, because there needs to be.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 35





	Drunk Dueling

Seto Kaiba wasn't usually the one to comply with Japanese social expectations and norms. In fact, he pretty much ignored lots of them most of the time. He may have been reserved and stoic, but at the same time he could also be loud, rude and dressed in flashy colourful clothing that made him stand out in a crowd of black suits. True, he was a CEO and not a regular salaryman, but even compared to other Japanese CEOs he was pretty unorthodox, but it had worked out well for him. In fact, he was often convinced that was one of the reasons he was so successful in his business, that and being a genius. 

However, every now and again even he resorted to tradition, because sometimes the traditional approach worked and so he found himself drowning drinks with a bunch of men in black suits, some of whom were from Kaiba Corporation, but a great number were from a well-established company they were hoping to have a partnership with. Sure, Kaiba wasn't technically 20, so technically he wasn't allowed to drink, but when one of the richest men in Japan and a powerful CEO walked into your establishment and opened a tab so great it amounted for your full week's earnings, it turned out no one cared. The rules didn't apply to him. Sure, everyone knew he was breaking them, but no one brought it up and the matter was politely ignored. No one also made a fuss when the CEO started ranting about dueling three drinks in. 

It was 1:30 at night and Yugi was ready to go to bed. He and his other self had been taking turns playing videogames trying to beat the other's score, Seeing as being in one body meant they couldn't play any of the games where you played against someone, they usually settled for trying to best each other's scores. Now they were both properly tired and ready for bed, teeth brushed and pajamas on, they heard someone screaming under their window.

Yugi looked outside and saw no other, but Seto Kaiba in his flashy white coat, swaying from one foot to other, demanding a duel. 

Yugi opened a window: "Kaiba-kun is that you?"

"Who else would it be? Now... I came all the way here. The bar was pretty far and Isono was like: "Seto-sama I don't think this is a good idea, I think we should go home" Kaiba narrated, mimicking the voice of his most trusted employee, in an impression that was not all that accurate: “So I said we'll go home and got in the car, then jumped out halfway home and... walked here... so - Duel me!"

Yugi just stared in stunned silence: "You jumped out of a moving...Kaiba-kun it's half two in the morning! I'm not going to duel you. Also, you're drunk."

"Oh, come on! I'm not that drunk!"

Yugi sighed: “You're going to wake up my grandfather, stop shouting I'm coming downstairs."

As quietly as he could, Yugi slipped downstairs and opened the door, all his efforts to be quiet turned out to be in vain as Kaiba just shouted to his face: "Good. You're here! Duel me!"

"Shh! Be quiet! My grandfather is sleeping!" Yugi whispered.

"Hn. I've kidnapped the man I hardly think his opinion of me could be much worse," Kaiba pointed out, entirely missing the point. He was now leaning against Yugi's doorway, apparently finding standing too much work.

"Not the point!" Yugi whispered back intensely: “I'll let you in, because frankly I don't want you wondering the streets alone like that, but no more shouting!" 

"Fine, but can we duel whispering then?" Kaiba suggested in a whisper: “Never done it, could be an interesting challenge."

Yugi sighed and motioned Kaiba to follow him upstairs: “Kaiba-kun, me and my other self both love dueling you, but we're not - " Yugi had to pause to grab Kaiba's arm as he was about to tumble down the narrow stairway, tripping behind his own two feet: “We're not dueling you while you're in a state like this. It's no fun. You can barely stand."

"But I can duel. I can always duel!" Kaiba insisted and Yugi had to shush him again. They had now reached his room so he supposed they could talk normally as long as Kaiba didn't start screaming again. Still, better safe than sorry.

Kaiba didn't seem happy about Yug's last statement, but at least his next question came in the form a whisper again: “Can I use your bathroom?"

"Sure. It's that small white door over there, you can't miss it. Okay, I was wrong, you can miss it, Kaiba, that's my closet..." 

"You have a lot of leather," Kaiba pointed out in a slur: “And a lot of studded belts. Hmm... I like your studded belts..." 

Yugi, realizing this was the first sincerely nice thing Kaiba had told him that didn't involve his dueling skills, smiled: “Thank you, Kaiba-kun."

Kaiba was now looking though his wardrobe with open curiosity and Yugi didn't really have the heart to tell him to stop. They had different styles in general, but he supposed there was some overlap and Kaiba seemed to like studded belts too, even if all of his always had the KC logo on them: “Can I borrow this?" Kaiba asked, holding one of Yugi's many belts out. 

Yugi, once again, caught a bit off guard by the ability to interact like a normal human being this drunk Seto Kaiba was displaying just stuttered: "S-Sure. No problem." It looked like Kaiba was going to sleep here for the night so Yugi started to mentally figure out where he could fit one very drunk CEO.

"What are you doin'?" Kaiba slurred, trying to put on Yugi's belt and swaying so much that Yugi was sure he was going to topple over. He managed to stay standing upright though.

"Trying to think of a place for you to sleep."

"I'm not sleeping. I came here to duel you! Hold that thought..." Kaiba paused and rushed into the bathroom. Moments later Yugi winced hearing the sounds of Seto emptying his guts into his toilet. Great. 

It was then Yugi heard his phone ring, surprised to get a call at this hour, he picked it up and found that it was Mokuba calling. Well, that made sense, he was probably worried about his brother, although Yugi wondered why he hadn't just called Kaiba to begin with. Was he ignoring his little brother's calls? That didn't seem like him. Yugi answered the call: “Hi, Mokuba-kun. Don't worry, Kaiba-kun is with me,"

"He is?! Great! We were so worried! He disappeared from the car mid-ride and left his phone... wait - what is he doing at yours?"

"Currently, he's in the bathroom, not feeling very well from the sounds of it. But he came here to duel me."

Mokuba groaned: “Of course he did. Okay, can you keep him put? I'll be right over."

"Sure, I was just about to drag out a futon for him to sleep on."

"Thanks so much, Yugi! I'll be right there. Sorry for the trouble."

"Oh it's no trouble at all," Yugi said politely and ended call just as Seto swayed out of the bathroom. 

"Your brother is coming to get you," Yugi informed Kaiba.

"Hn? Mokuba? Why?" Kaiba drawled and sat next to Yugi on his bed. 

"He's worried about you! You jumped out of a car on your way home."

Kaiba hummed noncommittally: “You really won't duel me?"

"Not today, Kaiba. Maybe tomorrow. Once you've sobered up."

Kaiba stared into the distance silently for a moment, before snapping out of it and turning to Yugi: “Give me your phone."

Thinking Kaiba was going to call Mokuba to reassure him or perhaps someone of his staff, Yugi complied. He only realized he had made a mistake when he heard Kaiba shout into the phone: “Katsuya! Get your arse over to Yugi's house and duel me! I know what time at is. Ah, well, you're a coward." 

Yugi tried to get the phone from Kaiba, but all Kaiba had to do to prevent him from getting it was to stand up to his full height. Yugi got it back a moment later as Kaiba ended the call and handed it back: “He's not coming, is he?" Yugi asked, worriedly.

"Ssssure he is. That punk will do anything when you call him a coward."

Yugi hid his face in his hands and groaned.

* * *

It was past two in the morning when Yugi opened the door to Mokuba Kaiba downstairs, looking somewhere between pained and amused.

"What did he do?" Mokuba asked. 

"He's dueling Jounouchi in my bedroom upstairs," Yugi yawned: “It would be more entertaining if I wasn't so sleepy." 

Mokuba rushed past Yugi and up the flight of stairs into his room, where he momentarily paused, drinking in the sight of his brother dueling Jonouchi in the middle of Yugi's bedroom: “Nii-sama!" 

"Mokuba!" Kaiba actually grinned at the sight of his little brother: “Did you come see me smash Katsuya?"

"Actually, I came to take you home, but I guess you'll want to finish this first?"

"Hey! If anyone is finishing anyone it's me! Your brother can barely stand straight! There's no way I'm loosing to him now!" Jounouchi cried confidently. 

It was true that Kaiba wasn't even really standing, he was constantly swaying around, but that didn't stop Mokuba from cheering for his brother. Drunk or not, he would always cheer him on. Even if he was being a bit stupid. 

Yugi entered the room after Mokuba, fittingly carrying a bowl of popcorn as he went to sit on his bed. Mokuba joined him there.

"Jounouchi, why do you even want to duel Kaiba like this? He's obviously drunk. Wouldn't beating him be meaningless?" Yugi offered. 

"Not at all! I'm planning to wipe the floor with him and tomorrow when he's really hung over rub his face in it, really loudly!" 

Yugi just sighed at that, deeming it pointless to point out that that really wasn't a very mature approach. Mokuba leaned in to whisper: “Okay, I get that Nii-sama is drunk and acting weird, but why is Jounouchi in his pajama pants?" 

"My guess is that he ran out in such a hurry he forgot to change," Yugi whispered back, making Mokuba laugh. 

Both Jounouchi and Kaiba looked over: “What are you two laughing about?"

"Nothing, nothing!" Mokuba and Yugi replied in unison. 

It turned out that even when Kaiba was too drunk to stand straight he was still an excellent duelist and Jounouchi had to take things very seriously to keep up. What he had thought would be an easy victory proved not to be, as Kaiba managed to tribute two of his monsters and summon his Blue Eyes White Dragon. Mokuba cheered in earnest, he seriously dreaded what would happen if his brother was forced to live down the embarrassment of losing to Jounouchi Katsuya, drunk or not. Kaiba looked over to his little brother and smiled at Mokuba: “That's my little brother," he told Jounouchi.

"Yes, I know. We've met. Several times. How much have you had to drink?"

"I know you've met," Kaiba slurred: “That's not the point. The point is... I love him. I love him so damn much. Yugi has his whole cheerleading squad, I don't need that... I don't need anyone cheering me on... Even Mokuba, but I like it, when he does..." he hummed: “Makes me feel warm inside..." 

Mokuba was feeling slightly embarrassed, but also really really touched. Sure, Kaiba was drunk, but he never usually said these things out loud, much less to other people. It was nice to hear: “Nii-sama..."

"Mmm. You're great..." Kaiba told Mokuba.

"You're great too!" Mokuba cried back happily and Yugi couldn't help, but smile at the scene. 

"Damn Kaiba. You're almost okay when you're wasted. Too bad I'll wipe the floor with you," Jounouchi taunted. He managed to cut Kaiba's Blue Eyes ATK down by half and destroy it a moment later, making Mokuba worried about the whole affair once more. 

Yugi found that his other self was also sincerely interested in the ongoing duel. His transparent self was sitting next to Mokuba, watching with his arms crossed: “Maybe we should have accepted his challenge. It would have been an interesting duel."

"You can't be serious, my other self," Yugi argued. 

"I am. His play style is so much more... playful like that. It would be interesting to play this different kind of Kaiba. Plus he still clearly has his grasp on strong strategy. This won't be an easy win for Jounouchi."

"It won't be a win at all!" Kaiba exclaimed: “And you're right, of course you should have accepted my challenge." 

Everyone in the room just froze and stared at Kaiba. Kaiba, seeing that Katsuya was staring at him funny, turned to look around only to find everyone else were staring at him too, looking worried or... well the two Yugis looked shocked.

"Nii-sama, who are you talking to?" Mokuba asked slowly. 

"Yugi," Kaiba replied. 

"Yugi hasn't said anything," Mokuba pointed out. 

"Not that one, that one," Kaiba pointed at Yugi's other self's transparent figure that only him and Yugi could see.

"You can see my other self?!" Yugi exclaimed. 

"Yes. Of course," Kaiba hummed. 

"Have you always been able to!?"

"No, now that you mention it, no. Hmm. He's taller than you," Kaiba noted. 

Yugi's other self got up from the bed and walked over to Kaiba: “You can really see me? And hear me?"

"Of course," Kaiba scoffed, looked around: “I take it no one else can?"

"Usually only I can see my other self. When he's not controlling my body that is," Yugi explained. 

"Hmmm. Interesting. I'll think about that after I finish dueling the pup."

"It must have something to do with Kaiba's connection to the Millennium Items and perhaps with our previous lives," The Pharaoh mused.

"Oh, please. Not that crap again," Kaiba waved his hand: “I'm just drunk and seeing things."

"That too possibly. Your mind is more open when you're drunk, so you can see me."

"Oh, shut up and let me duel," Kaiba said and much to his surprise the transparent Yugi respected his wishes. 

Kaiba thought he had the game in the bag when he was about to use Monster Reborn to summon his Blue Eyes back on the field. However an unexpected obstacle arouse in the fact that Shisa Sosei was a difficult word to say when drunk. After Kaiba had had four tries at it Jounouchi was openly laughing at him and Yugi was having an equally hard time keeping a straight face: “Oh too bad, Kaiba, you're going to lose if you're not able to properly articulate what you want to do!" Jounouchi taunted. 

"Shissass...I activate Shisassso... Hmm..." Kaiba turned on his heel, marched to Yugi's table and much to the smaller boy's horror, grabbed his phone. 

"Hey! You can't just call someone in the middle of a duel!" Jounouchi protested. 

"I haven't left the field perimet... area..." Kaiba clipped back, waiting for whoever he was calling to pick up: “Pegasus! What the hell were you thinking, naming a card Shiss.... Sihisasoei.... Shi - I can't even say it, it's going to cost me a duel! And this isn't the only card you've given ridiculous names to!"

Mokuba watched his brother for a moment and buried his face in his hands in embarrassment as Yugi tried to comfort him. 

Pegasus on the other hand, from what they could hear, seemed delighted to hear from Kaiba: "Kaiba-boy! So nice of you to call! Are we perhaps a little drunk?"

"Oh, piss off, you come up with half of your card names while getting wasted on that fancy wine you like. Garbage Lord? That is not a card a sober man names! Gogiga Gagagigo?! Come on!"

"How can he say that, but not Shisa sosei?" Mokuba whispered, Yugi just shrugged in reply and they went on listening to the phone call. 

"Oh, Kaiba-boy. I can't deny that sometimes a class of wino makes the creative juices flow a bit... you don't like my humorous card names? I'm hurt."

"I don't! They're impossible to say!"

"Oh well I don't see what you can do about it. I'm the one who names cards."

"I'll tell you what I'll do! I'm challenging you to a duel! Take your plane. And bring some of that wine!" Kaiba ended the call and threw Yugi's phone in his general direction. Mokuba caught it.

"You don't think he'll actually come?" Mokuba asked worriedly. He did not want to meet Pegasus again. The man still gave him the creeps.

"I doubt it," Yugi assured: "He's in America and unlike Jounouchi, I think he could tell Kaiba was drunk." Just as he finished his sentence, Kaiba was finally able to properly pronounce the name of his spell card needed to revive his Blue Eyes. It took another ten turns before the battle was over, Jonouchi staring in disbelief, unwilling to believe that he had just lost to a man who could barely stand. Mokuba got up and ran to congratulate his brother, who picked him up happily, before falling backwards and ending up on Yugi's floor: “Are you okay?" he slurred, looking at Mokuba.

Mokuba just giggled: "Fine. Can we go home now, Nii-sama?"

"Soon, I'm going to duel Yugi next!"

Mokuba groaned: "I'm tired, Nii-sama. It's 3 in the morning! Can't you duel him tomorrow?"

"It is tomorrow," Kaiba pointed out: "Besides... I want to duel them, when there's two them it's... interesting." The Pharaoh was once again standing transparent next to Yugi, locking eyes with Kaiba on the floor. It was a curious feeling for him. Usually no one saw him when he wasn't in control of Yugi's body. "I might not see them both in the morning," Kaiba conceded.

"Not if you start drinking in the morning," The Pharaoh guessed, earning a glare from Yugi: “Not a good idea, my other self."

"So it would be like a tag team?" Mokuba asked: "Two against one?" His brother couldn't take one Yugi on a good day. How could he take two while drunk? Mokuba was trying to decide if he believed there were two Yugis. Yugi certainly believed there was and all of Yugi's friends also seemed to believe it. His brother, whose opinion he valued the most, usually argued against the idea, but currently, he seemed to be subscribing to it too, so Mokuba supposed it must have been the truth. 

Kaiba hummed: “Mmm. Not a bad idea."

"No, but - won't it be unfair? Plus, you're _really_ drunk, Nii-sama," Mokuba pointed out, somewhat amused.

"I can't believe I lost against him! He can't even stand!" Jounouchi groaned again, but neither Mokuba nor Kaiba paid him any attention. Yugi only turned his full attention to Jounouchi once he announced he was leaving and Yugi turned to show him out, not bothering to try and convince him to stay. It was ridiculously late and if Kaiba hadn't been so drunk he might have asked him to leave too. Sure, Mokuba was here now, but Yugi didn't want to task him with getting Kaiba home by himself, Yes, they had staff, but Kaiba had outwitted them once before already tonight. 

Yugi's other self stayed in the bedroom, watching the Kaiba brothers.

"You have a point," Kaiba agreed: “So... would you like to be on my team? Mmm?" 

Mokuba's eyes widened: “You'd want me in a duel against Yugi...s. Yugis?!"

"Of course. Who else? If I were to team up with anyone - when I team up with anyone, it's always you. "

Mokuba smiled: “I've seen you team up with Yugi."

"Yeah well, not by choice... you - you and I we're .... always....," he seemed to be trailing off, forgetting what he wanted to say. His eyes met with the Pharaoh's and he noticed Yugi wasn't in the room: “You don't have to leave the room with him when he does?"

The Pharaoh still seemed startled by the fact that Kaiba could see him: “No, of course not. We get some privacy and autonomy."

"How much?"

"Hmm?"

"How far can Yugi go, before you... I don't know.... what happens to you? Vanish from view? Have to follow? How far can you be from his _magical,_ " Kaiba said it as if it were a swear word: “necklace?"

"I don't know. We haven't really tested it like that."

Kaiba snorted in distaste: “Of course. No scientific approach whatsoever."

"Scientific approach to magic? Oh, Kaiba," the Pharaoh sighed.

"Science is how magic gets explained, how we understand things and realize that what we once thought was magic is actually nothing more than things we once didn't understand, but now... do." Mokuba was pulling at Seto's sleeve to get his attention. He could only hear one side of the conversation and frankly it was creeping him out watching his brother interact with empty space. Seto did turn his attention to him: “Yes?" 

"Can I get some translation here? Please?"

Kaiba looked over to the Pharaoh and then to Mokuba: “You really can't see him? At all? Not even a little bit?" 

Mokuba shook his head: “What did you do, Nii-sama? Did you have something else - besides alcohol."

Kaiba shook his head: “Don't worry. Just too much sake and beer. I'm fine." 

Mokuba still looked worried, but then the other Yugi returned and he hoped things would feel a bit less weird. Kaiba tried to get off the floor, but didn't manage. Apparently, his fine motor skills had taken the biggest hit. Mokuba tried to help him, but Kaiba just ended up pulling the small boy onto the floor into his arms with him: “You okay?" he checked.

Mokuba nodded: “Yeah. Yugi, can you help my brother up, please?" he asked sweetly. 

"I don't need his help!" Kaiba protested. 

"Perhaps we should switch places," the Pharaoh suggested: “I'm taller, might have better luck."

Yugi nodded and Kaiba watched fascinated as the transparent man disappeared and another Yugi took his place, while the Pharaoh took over his body: “Your mouths don't even move when you talk to each other."

"It's a kind of telepathy," the Pharaoh said, holding out his hand for Kaiba who refused to take it. 

"It's a little scary that you can hear our thoughts," Yugi laughed nervously. 

"It makes sense, Aibou. He's also a Chosen One, whether he likes to admit it or not."

"Does it? It makes no sense to me," Kaiba admitted. 

"Me neither," Mokuba muttered. He was exhausted, everyone speaking to thin air was freaking him out and all he wanted to do was to curl up against the warmth of his big brother and sleep, but he also realized that right now, he was the who needed to take care of his big brother. 

"Mokuba, come on. You take one hand and I take the other and I think we can pull him up," Yugi's other self suggested. 

Mokuba nodded and got up to do just that: “Come on, Nii-sama. I can't pull you up on my own. Give Yugi your hand, please."

It turned out Kaiba would do just about anything if Mokuba asked him nicely, including giving Yugi his hand: “So it's obserber - observer relavant - relevent - obserber - obserber - _observer_ relevant?" Kaiba asked, but no one seemed to understand what he meant so he elaborated: “The power of your puzzle allows Yugi to see you, but no one else?"

"Yes," The other Yugi agreed. 

Kaiba looked around the room for a moment, fixed his eyes on Yugi's desk, went over and started opening his drawers. 

" _Nii-sama_!" Mokuba scolded, but apparently that didn't do anything to stop him. 

Kaiba turned to Yugi: “Do you have paper? I need a paper. And a pen." 

"Sure," the Pharaoh agreed and provided both, much to Yugi's dismay.

"Mou hitori no boku, we really should be focusing on getting Kaiba-kun to bed," Yugi pointed out.

"I can hear you!" Kaiba snapped. 

"Nii-sama, I'm tired. Please, let's go home."

"Mokuba, be quiet I'm trying to think," Kaiba said, drawing sketches and schematics, writing words next to said schematics. Mokuba couldn't understand anything his brother was writing down and he was fairly certain his brother wouldn't either, once sober. 

"But I'm tired! I want to sleep!" Mokuba whined. He was perfectly capable of sleeping on the floor of his brother's office while he worked, but he tried this tactic mainly to get his brother to come home with him.

Kaiba sighed and turned to Yugi: “Do you have anywhere where my brother could sleep?"

"Sure, but Kaiba, I think my partner and I would like to go to bed too. You should really call it a night," Yugi tried, but to no avail.

"Not _now._ I need to write this down while it still makes sense in my head."

The Pharaoh raised a skeptical eyebrow doubting anything in Kaiba's head made sense right now, but sighed and went to find the futon and some extra sheets and pillows. Mokuba followed eager to help: “I'm sorry about this, Yugi."

"It's hardly your fault, Mokuba."

"I have an idea how to get him to bed though," Mokuba informed. 

"I'm listening."

Mokuba helped Yugi to drag the large futon to the middle of his room, effectively trapping Seto between it and the table. There was hardly any floor space left in the room once they were finished. Then Mokuba helped Yugi make the bed and climbed onto the mattress. Kaiba had spent this entire time writing and sketching furiously: “Nii-sama!"

"Mm?"

"I'm going to bed."

"Mmmm."

"Will tuck me in?"

"Mokuba you're 13. You don't need me to tuck you in."

"Kiss me good night?"

Kaiba sighed, put the pen down and looked over to his brother: “When did you get so needy? You're fine falling asleep in my office chair."

"Come on? _Please_?" Mokuba asked, hoping that this more openly affectionate Kaiba wouldn't mind that Yugi was also in the room and his plan wouldn't fail. 

Kaiba sighed once more and got down onto the futon, brushing his little brother's hair away and kissing his forehead. Mokuba wrinkled his nose: “You smell of beer."

"Well, I'm drunk. How did you expect me to smell? Like flowers? You were the one who wanted a kiss."

Mokuba smiled cleverly and nodded: “I did. Thank you. Good night, Nii-sama. I love you."

"Good night, Mokuba," Kaiba agreed, trying to get up and finding it impossible: “Mokuba..."

Mokuba didn't reply.

"Mokuba I know you're awake, help me up."

Mokuba tried very hard not to laugh as he replied: “No can do, Nii-sama. I'm sleeping." 

Oh you think you're so clever, don't you... well.." Kaiba crawled to the end of the futon where he could reach to crab the end of the table and tried to hoist himself up using it. Mokuba meanwhile, crabbed the end of his brother's ridiculous long coat and threw his small body on it to weight it down. 

"Hey!" Kaiba protested and tried to wiggle his way out of his coat, Mokuba laughing a bit hysterically at his efforts. The sight was so ridiculous it even made Yugi, who had once again in charge of his own body, laugh. Kaiba tried to pull himself up using the table and his sheer force and ended up pulling the entire table and all that was on it, on top of himself and on his brother. That made Mokuba's laughter stop. It was also what finally woke Sugoroku Mutou, who quickly made his way upstairs and threw the door open, only to be greeted by a most ridiculous sight.

Yugi quickly started apologizing: “Sorry, Grandpa. We didn't mean to wake you."

"I didn't realize you had guests. When did they get here?" the older Mutou asked, choosing to completely ignore the fact that one of the said guests had stolen from him and kidnapped him. 

"Kaiba-kun came by a few hours ago."

"Few hours ago? It's nearly four in the morning! What did he want at this hour!? To steal something, no doubt."

"Hey I've already stolen all that's worth stealing from this house!" Kaiba put in, while trying to get pencils out of his hair, doing nothing to remedy the situation. 

"Hello, Mr. Mutou. I'm very sorry about my brother," Mokuba cut in: “I promise we'll be out of here first thing in the morning and we'll be quiet now!" he promised.

"Mokuba!" Kaiba scolded, clearly upset that his little brother would stoop so low to apologize to Yugi's grandfather. 

Mokuba sighed: “I'm sorry, Nii-sama, but you're really being impossible," he said and got up, to put Yugi's desk back in place: “There. Are you hurt?"

"I'm not," Kaiba mumbled, sitting up: “But you should never apologize for the things I do."

"I shouldn't and yet here we are with my drunk older brother who refuses to go to bed on the floor of Yugi's bedroom," Mokuba said sternly and it looked like he was very much done laughing and being nice about this.

Kaiba stared up at him, his gaze hazy and Yugi found it uncanny how their roles and ages suddenly seemed reversed. His grandfather chose this moment to quietly leave the scene. 

"Are you mad at me?" Kaiba asked quietly.

Mokuba sighed: “No, I'm just exhausted. Can we _please_ go to bed?"

Kaiba nodded and this time he did in fact tuck his little brother in, before wrapping one arm around him and lying next to him, still fully dressed. Yugi thought the whole scene was pretty adorable. They were all asleep in minutes.

* * *

Kaiba woke to the worst headache he had ever experienced in his whole life, at least so he thought. It was currently very hard to try and think of other times in his life. Mokuba was already awake, as was Yugi. The younger Kaiba was standing next to his brother holding a glass of water and an aspirin.

"Good morning, Nii-sama," Mokuba said brightly. 

"Nngh," Kaiba replied, burying his face to the pillow. 

"Feeling a bit hung over?" Mokuba giggled. 

Could your voice be any more high pitched!?" Kaiba snapped, taking Mokuba by complete surprise. His brother usually never snapped at him, so he wasn't sure what to do with that. 

When Mokuba said nothing Kaiba pried one eye open to look at him, to be faced with a stunned impression of his brother: “Sorry, kid."

Mokuba just wordlessly offered him a glass of water and Kaiba took it, mostly spilling it everywhere, but having enough left to take the aspirin. 

"Are you still drunk?" Mokuba asked in the quietest, lowest voice he could manage.

"No, I don't think so. Just feeling exceptionally shit. Thanks," Kaiba said. He looked around himself: “Why are we - is this Yugi's bedroom?"

"You don't remember?"

Kaiba just stared at Mokuba blankly. 

"What?! Anything!?" Kaiba winced at the sound of his brother's loud voice, but said nothing: “You came to Yugi's house at half past one and demanded he duel you." 

"Ah. Did he?"

"No, so you invited Jonouchi."

Kaiba looked as if he wasn't quite willing to believe that. It was then that Yugi entered the room, smiling and looking far too happy for Kaiba's liking, considering how early it presumably was and how bad he felt: “Did I really asked Jonouchi duel me?"

"You did duel him," Yugi pointed out, looking surprised: “You don't remember?"

Kaiba took a moment to think about it: “Vaguely...," he decided. He looked over to Mokuba and Yugi thought he looked strangely vulnerable for a moment. Perhaps even a little... was that fear in his eyes? 

"You were awesome!" Mokuba assured. 

"Yeah, My other self was really really regretting not taking up your challenge."

"Yeah, I - I think I remember," Kaiba blinked: “I could see the two of you, at the same time," he realized.

"Yeah," Yugi agreed as his other self appeared transparent next to him: “Can you still?" The Pharaoh asked. 

Kaiba's lack of answer was an answer in itself and Yugi could see his other self deflate a bit: “I was getting used to being seen."

"It was only for one night and you're always seen when you're in charge. Plus, I thought Kaiba-kun being able to read our mind was a little scary," Yugi replied, but he could see his other selves' point. It was nice to be seen as two separate people. His friends were very understanding about the whole thing, but the lines were a little blurred for them too. After all, they all called his other self Yugi too. He wasn't really Yugi. That wasn't his real name. Then again, calling him The Nameless Pharaoh would have been rude. Calling him just The Pharaoh was a bit weird. 

Kaiba might have no longer been able to see the two of them at once, but he could tell from the distant way Yugi was being that he was talking to his other self and he wondered, if acknowledging that, also now meant that he fully believed the whole thing. He decided not to think about it. It made his head hurt: “I can't see him anymore," he clarified, just in case the two were still trying to figure it out. 

"We figured," Yugi replied. Guess not then. 

Thankfully, Mokuba chimed in with a much more Earthly topic: “Well, I'm going to make breakfast to apologize for the awful trouble you've been, Nii-sama," he said very brightly: “Yugi do you have eggs, flour, milk, cinnamon and... yeast?"

"Eh, not sure about the last one, but I think so?"

"Perfect. I'll make cinnamon rolls then!" Mokuba announced, ready to run downstairs. 

"Mokie?" Seto called after him, clearly catching Mokuba off guard by using his long forgotten nickname.

"Yes, Nii-sama?"

"Can I have some as well?"

Mokuba smiled: “Sure."

"One more thing?"

"Yes?"

"Did I win?"

"Sure, you knocked it out of the park. You were brilliant."

Kaiba visibly relaxed and threw himself back on the mattress with a groan. He closed his eyes and threw his arm over his eyes and laid there for a long moment: “Why must Japanese have this insane business drinking culture? I never have to deal with stuff like this in the States."

"Can't you just drink less?" Yugi offered. 

"Yes, Thank you. Very clever. You think I was trying to get hammered? I didn't even drink that much. I'm just a lightweight."

He heard Yugi snort: “I'm surprised you'd say that about yourself."

"I can self-reflect and analyze my own actions," he retorted, causing Yugi to fall silent for a bit. 

"Do you mind if I use your shower?" Kaiba asked eventually.

"Well, you already raided through my closet and threw up in the bathroom. Not sure why you taking a shower at my house would be where I draw the line."

Kaiba just grunted in response: “You don't happen to have a spare toothbrush while I'm at it?" His mouth tasted like death and much as he hated asking other people for anything, he really didn't think asking Yugi for a toothbrush was something he should excessively worry over. They had done each other favours far bigger. Yugi, being the helpful kind soul he was, went to look for one. He was only gone a minute, before he called: "Found one! Unless you have some issue with it being purple."

"I really could not care less about the colour," Kaiba admitted and pulled himself off the futon with all the willpower he had. "Oh, for the record, Mokuba's cinnamon rolls are _amazing_. It's like one of the three things he can do, but the things he can do he does amazingly, so they'll be worth it."

Yugi looked almost obnoxiously sweet and friendly, Kaiba thought, when he said: “It's okay really. It's nice to have you over. Just you know, next time you could come at a more reasonable hour." 

Kaiba just went into the bathroom without acknowledging Yugi's comment. He emerged some time later, feeling refreshened, even as he wished he had a change of clothes. And any knowledge of where his belt was and why he was wearing Yugi's. While looking for his belt he found the sketches he had made the night before and decided to bring them downstairs to see if he could make any sense of the idea he had had. As he was making his way down he heard Mokuba and Yugi chat. 

" - and so I just think - what if I missed my one once in a lifetime opportunity to be in a tag team with my big brother, because I was tired and it was 4 in the morning? What if he never asks me again? Because... can you imagine him ever asking when he's sober? So I may have missed the only chance I ever got..." Mokuba said and the way he sounded so terribly sad pulled at his elder brother's heart strings. 

"He's your brother. I'm sure he'll play with you if you just ask," Yugi assured. 

"Yeah, but like, even if we were in a tag duel some other time. Nii-sama is _the best_ player out there. No offense."

"Non taken."

"I mean I know he's lost to you a few times, but even the best players lose sometimes. I'm a pretty good duelist too. I'm certainly not bad, but I'm nowhere near as good as Nii-sama. Not yet anyways. So what if we played together and we _lost_? I'd feel terrible. I'm not sure I could look at him afterwards. But last night he was sort of... loose and relaxed and it didn't seem to matter as much. I'm not saying I want him to be drunk again sometimes, no thank you, but it would have been the one time, where maybe if we did end up losing it wouldn't have mattered as much?"

Kaiba couldn't see Yugi nod from where he was standing, frozen in the middle of the staircase, but he did hear him speak: “Well, maybe sometimes at some small scale event? With friends? I mean, you guys could just come over sometimes to play. I wouldn't mind."

"Nii-sama takes every duel seriously. And I mean _seriously_. It's like... he ties his whole self-worth to winning every single game and if he doesn't it's like he's worth less as a person. Which he's not."

"I get that. I feel like my other self was a bit like that at some point, but I think it might just be because the stakes were always so unnaturally high for us."

Mokuba hummed in agreement: “Yeah, that too."

"You really think he'd be mad at you if you lost at a duel with him?"

"No! Of course not. He'd never be mad at _me_. That's not at all what I'm worried about. It's just that winning is always so important to him. I'm different. It's not really that important. Like - when I play with Nii-sama, I do really want to win and try my best and I can get really into it and really want it, but if I lose, I lose. I mean I've always lost to him. I definitely want to win a game against him sometime, but in the meanwhile, if I don't I can just admire his skill and thinking, and even if I did win I'd still admire him, because one victory wouldn't make me an objectively better player and even if I were ever somehow objectively better," Mokuba snorted at that: “It wouldn't make him less amazing." 

"Hang on," Yugi cut in: “You've never - won against Kaiba?"

"Not like in chess or Duel Monsters or anything that's not just luck based. Why?"

"He's never... let you win? Ever?"

Mokuba stared: “No, why should he? It would defeat the point of the game. It would go against his pride. And mine too, honestly."

"Yeah, you're right. It's just that older brothers usually let their younger brothers win at games. Sometimes."

"Seto isn't like that. I like that he isn't. That way, when I defeat him, I know it will be for real. Besides, I don't care that much about if I win or lose. I just want to play games with my brother. But he's pretty busy most times," Mokuba said matter of factly while putting the cinnamon rolls in the oven. 

"Mokuba," Kaiba said, finally coming downstairs, making sure to hide any emotions that Mokuba's speech enticed in him behind a confident mask. "Have I taught you nothing? If you see something you like, something you want, you just go and take it." 

Mokuba looked over at his brother: “Even if that something is wanting to play with my big brother? How do I just _take_ that? It's not a thing."

"Well, there are various ways, but considering I am your brother, you could start by simply asking. Yugi, do you own a chess board?"

"Sure! I mean my grandfather does own a game store."

"Great. Gould I buy one?" Kaiba produced some notes from a wallet that was still miraculously in his coat pocket and handed them to Yugi: “Keep the change."

"That's 100 000 yen, Kaiba-kun."

"Is it? Better be a nice chess board then." Mokuba chose this as the best moment to run over to his brother and hug him. Yugi smiled at the sight and went to find the most expensive chess board they had. 

"But I thought your head hurt?" Mokuba asked, still hugging Seto. 

"Oh, it's killing me. I doubt I'll be able to think more than 3 turns ahead. It's your big chance at crushing me," Seto admitted with a smile. 

"Yugi and I made coffee," Mokuba announced and went to bring the mug over.

Seto thanked him, before taking a sip and spitting it back out: “What's that? This coffee is weaker than Jounouchi's dueling. Let me make one myself."

Once Yugi had gotten the most expensive chess set they had at the store, which happened to be a very limited edition _Sailor Moon_ one (neither of the brothers seemed to mind) and still have money left over to go and buy the most expensive coffee from the nearest supermarket for Kaiba to make himself (and still have money left over), they were all set and the two Kaibas sat down to make their opening moves. Yugi and his other self were watching the game in genuine interest as the room slowly filled with the smell of fresh pastries and cinnamon. This almost dream-like scene was broken by the sound of Yugi's doorbell. The young boy went to open it as he left the two brothers to their gaming. 

"Yugi-boy!" Pegasus's distinct accent that no other American in the world seemed to have (at least none that any of them had ever met), rang through the halls.

Kaiba shuddered at the sound and Mokuba was suddenly very keen on hiding behind his brother and abandoning the game altogether: “Don't worry. If he touches you I'll poke his other eye out," Seto said seriously: “What does he want with Yugi anyways?"

"I think he's here for you. You called him over last night. Challenged him to duel and asked him to bring wine. Told him the way he names his cards is stupid."

Kaiba groaned and hid his hands in his face. Mokuba saw his opportunity and decided to take it: “Check."

That made Kaiba focus back on the game: “My knight takes your bishop."

By that time Pegasus had joined them in the kitchen and part of Mokuba was still very much pre-occupied with trying to decide if he would hide behind his elder brother. He tried to be brave through. 

"Kaiba-boy! How _wonderful_ of you to call me up like that last night!"

"I was drunk. I changed my mind now. Take your plane and go back to America."

"Oh, but you have such a lovely gathering here, I think I'll stay for a bit. Ooh and what's this? Are you working on something new? Very interesting," Pegasus had found Kaiba's drunk sketches and was inspecting them with about as much seriousness as he was capable of, while Yugi tried to be a good host and open a bottle of wine that Pegasus had brought. Something that he had not only never done before, but what was made harder by the fact that he had no bottle opener. 

" _Ooh_. And you've even written it in English for me, how kind," Pegasus pointed out: “And is that... Ancient Egyptian?"

"Yes, I was drunk. Do keep up. My pawn takes your knight, Mokuba. Pay attention. I promise if Pegasus touches you I'll murder him in cold blood before he realizes what even happened. You don't have to worry."

"Oh, this is a most exceptional idea. Do you mind explaining this part to me? Your penmanship leaves something to be desired."

"Not right now, I'm playing with my little brother."

Mokuba looked up in surprise and Kaiba just scoffed: “Please. You're far more important to me than any business I might do with that clown."

In the end however, business was discussed as well. It turned out that even when Kaiba was too drunk to get off the floor by himself, his head was still filled with ideas brilliant enough to make millions. It was also agreed upon by everyone that Mokuba's cinnamon rolls could be sold for the same amount of millions and they'd all pay up. 

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like there should be a 100 fics like this, where Kaiba comes to Yugi's house drunk, asking for a duel, but I have yet to read one, so - here you go!
> 
> I know I have another unfinished work from this show, but this idea wouldn't leave me alone. So I had to.
> 
> Please feel free to leave any comments below. Including the ones mentioning the typos I left in. If I did.


End file.
